


Worth It

by Scott_Paladin



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-18
Updated: 2015-02-18
Packaged: 2018-03-13 14:36:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3385337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scott_Paladin/pseuds/Scott_Paladin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After their vacation to the spirit world, Asami arrives at Air Temple Island to take Korra on their first real date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worth It

An acolyte waited at the dock as Asami pulled alongside it. He caught the line she tossed him and began to secure the speedboat while she hopped out and pushed her goggles up onto her forehead. Unlike much of the city, Air Temple Island still looked the same, as tranquil and pristine as it did during the months this place had been her refuge, then grown to become a home. A smiled crept onto her lips as she thought of that feeling, surprised to find it was still there.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite industrialist. Haven’t seen you since the wedding.” Asami turned to find the small form of Pema approaching from the path to the dormitories.

“Pema, it’s so good to see you.” She met her halfway and was caught in a firm hug.

“How was your trip to the spirit world?”

Asami tried to fight the blush she could feel growing on her cheeks. “It was pretty amazing, actually.”

“It certainly sounds like it; Korra hasn’t stopped talking about your time there since you two got back. I think I’ll have to badger Tenzin into taking me, if we can ever find the time." Her eyes wrinkled with a smile. "Come on in; I’ll get you some tea while you wait for Korra.” She began to lead Asami toward the main building.

“Oh, did something come up that called her away? I can come back if…”

“Hush, she’s just getting ready.” Pema gave her a conspiratorial glance. “Don’t say I told you but she spent two hours with Jinora and Ikki trying to pick her outfit. So she’s running a bit behind schedule.”

Asami startled and looked down at her own clothes. They were just what she’d worn to the office and suddenly felt insufficient. A little butterfly of panic fluttered through her chest as they entered the kitchen and she mentally cursed herself for not taking the time to go home and change. She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm her nerves; nothing was to be done now.

Pema glanced Asami over as she pulled an already steaming kettle from the stove and smiled as if privy to some amusing secret. “How’re the rebuilding efforts going? I bet they’ve been keeping you busy; I got to listen to President Raiko whine Tenzin’s ear off about how difficult it was to get anything done without you.”

“I help out, but there’s a lot to get done still. At least all the temporary housing is in place now so the displaced people have a place to stay while we build. For the new construction, we haven’t even got the land cleared yet.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll have everything humming along in short order.” A rapid patter of feet on wood resounded through the building, growing louder. Pema raised her voice but kept her tone sweet.  “No running!”

There was a sound like someone skidding to a stop and then a moment of silence. Korra’s voice sounded flustered, even several rooms away. “Sorry, Pema.”

Asami felt her heart jump at the sound of Korra’s voice and found herself smiling behind her teacup. The older woman grinned back at her and called out again. “No need to check out the front; she’s in the kitchen with me.”

Pema rolled her eyes as the sound of running resumed and Asami tried not to laugh as set her cup down to turned to the kitchen door. The thump of feet on the floor grew close, then stopped suddenly just outside the room. There was a pause, exactly long enough for someone to gather themselves up to not look like they had just been running, and the door panel slid open.

Korra looked good. She always looked good, as far as Asami could tell, but it was up a notch from normal. It wasn’t the clothes, which were adorable. It wasn’t the hair, which pinned back in an uncharacteristic but fetching style. It wasn’t the lighting in the kitchen or even the fact that Asami hadn’t seen her in a couple of days, long enough for a little bit of longing to grow. It was the smile, unrestrained, genuine, and so warm. Best of all, she was smiling because Asami was there. That smile was for her.

She realized she should probably say something; she was just standing there looking at Korra like an idiot. Just talk. This was possible. This was easy. She’d been flirting with Korra for years. Nothing was different just because everything was different. She reached up and flipped her hair over her shoulder, old habits kicking into gear.

“Ready for a night on the town? Or what’s left of it, at any rate.” She was rewarded by a laugh that sent a little happy shock running up her spine.

“Absolutely.” Korra turned to Pema as she closed the distance between her and her date. “If anybody needs anything, we’ll be at the boardwalk.”

Pema shook her head. “Nope, I’m not telling anyone where you’ve gone. There’s always some sort of crisis and you deserve at least one night off.”

Korra rolled her eyes. “I’m the avatar; people need me.”

Asami bumped her shoulder against Korra’s. “Not tonight they don’t. I told everybody at work I was out of reach this evening; you are too.”

Korra actually blushed at her words and Asami felt a little thrill. “OK, you two are right.”

Pema nodded. “Good, now get out of here and have some fun.”

 

*****

 

The boat ride back across the bay shouldn’t have taken very long, but when Korra suggested they take a detour to slalom through the buoys at the entrance to the bay, Asami couldn’t resist. They were both still grinning, high on the adrenaline, when she parked the boat at the pier by the boardwalk.

Being far from the city center and lacking any large important buildings, this neighborhood had escaped virtually untouched in the recent conflict and was consequently experiencing a boom as people flocked in from the parts of the city that had. The restaurants, mover theatres, and arcades were packed nearly every night, and this evening was no different.

As they walked down the edge of the boardwalk, trying to decide on what to do first, Asami felt the back of her hand brush the back of Korra’s. She thrilled at the freedom to reach out and intertwine their fingers. When Korra glanced over at the contact, the little smirk on her face made Asami’s urge to kiss her kick up tenfold.

Korra did a double take at something ahead and Asami followed her gaze. The hulking white form of a sky bison sat like an island in the river of pedestrians. As they moved toward it, Asami could see a steady trickle of green snot from one of the creature’s nostrils and the sound of its wheezing breath could be heard even over the crowd. She scanned people around her, looking for the bison’s owner, but Korra was the one who spotted them.

Bolin and Opal leaned against the boardwalk railing, passing an ice-cream cone back and forth between them and talking. When, Korra shot a hand in the air and waved at them, Opal gave them a huge grin and motioned them over, but Asami saw a slight fall to Bolin’s expression.

“Opal! I didn’t know you’d gotten back into town.” Korra hugged her friend.

“I could say the same about you. Juicy and I just got in this morning.”

“Last week for us.”

Asami saw Opal’s eyes flick down to their clasped hands and then back up. Her expression brightened. “Are you two…” She didn’t finish the question, apparently seeing enough in their faces to have her answer. She made a small excited noise, then stiffened slightly and turned to her boyfriend. “Did you know?”

“Um,” Bolin paused with a mouth full of ice cream and rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, “yeah, sort of.”

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“It just hadn’t come up yet. We were still in the ‘hi, how was your trip’ part of the date not the serious news bit.”

She sized him up for a moment. “OK, you get a pass, but is there any other big news you haven’t told me yet?”

Bolin’s face took on a hunted look. He chewed a lip for moment. “Nope.”

“That’s it?”

“Well, Mako’s trying to grow a mustache and it looks ridiculous.”

“Alright.” She didn't look convinced but turned back to Asami and Korra. “Say, since you two are here, do you two want to make it a double date? I’d love to hear about the spirit world.”

Behind Opal’s back, the expression on Bolin’s face was almost a grimace. Asami felt Korra’s hand squeeze hers and, when she glanced at the shorter girl, her face was so clear Asami could almost read her mind. Korra had something to tell her that she couldn’t say.

“Sure! But you know, that ice cream looks really good.” The gears in Asami’s head raced like an engine. “How about you two head to the end of the pier where it’s quiet while Korra and I go get some and we’ll meet you out there.”

Bolin and Korra both looked relieved and Opal nodded happily. Asami felt herself almost off to fulfill their cover story. She leaned in toward her date’s ear and spoke as quiet as she could over the noise of the crowd. “OK, what’s the scoop?”

Korra bit her lip, then smiled, and leaned back to respond. “Bolin told me yesterday he that when Opal got back he was going to propose. I think we might have interrupted him while he was working up to it.”

“Well, in that case, what do you say to there being an inconveniently long line at the ice cream stall that will delay us for a little while?” She smiled slyly.

Korra laughed. “Do you think we can figure out something to do with ourselves while we wait?”

Asami squeezed Korra’s hand. “I can think of a few things.”

They gave Bolin a twenty minute window, which turned out to be enough. When they found the couple, Bolin was probably the proudest man Asami had ever seen, and she could see happy tears in Opal’s eyes. They talked for a little while; Opal was already starting to think of guest lists and preparations. She told them both they were on the hook to be part of the wedding party and that they better be ready to head to Zaofu for the occasion. Then it occurred to them both that they ought to start telling people and within a few moments, they had said their goodbyes and parted ways. Asami and Korra were left on the end of the pier, looking at the dark sea.

“Took him long enough.” Korra said after a long silence.

“I don’t think Opal minded.” Asami put an arm around the other girl’s shoulders. “Some things are worth waiting for.”

 

 


End file.
